Game apparatus.



F. M. CALEB.

GAME APPARATUS.

APPLIOATION FILED MAY 15, 1913 l,13,865. Patented July 14,1914.

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MM 777 M fly v FRANCIS M. CALEB, 0F INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA.

GAME APPARATUS,

Specification of Letters Patent Patented July 14, 1914.

Application filed May 15, 1913. 7 Serial No. 768,193.

To all 'z/uhmn it may, concern Be it known that I, FRANCIS M. CALEB,

a citizenv of the United States, residing at Inglewood, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Game Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in game apparatus, and the object of my invention is to provide a game for amusement purposes. I attain this object by means of the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

My dovicemay be constructed in a number of forms; but preferably as shown in the drawing hereto attached, in which the figure is a perspective view 'of my device.

My game apparatus consists of the base 1, which has formed on the top surface thereof the pockets 2 and which may be arranged in any suitable manner; the upwardly projecting flanges 3 secured to the sides of the base; the inclined slide 4: secured to the base 1 and having on each side thereof the upwardly projecting flanges 5; the posts 6 at the bottom of the slide and secured thereto; and near one of the sides, the vertical partition 8. The standards 9 are pivotally mounted at the top of the incline to the sides 5 by means of the pins 10, and are provided thereabove with the steady pins 11 adapted to seat in the sides 5 and thus hold the standard in a vertical position. When not in use the standard may be folded back under the side.

Secured to the slide 4 is the track 7 comprising a' pluralityof sections alternately inclined at right angles to the slide, and having the upper ends of each section curved upwardly and at the opposite ends of the sections, the openings 12 to provide a continuous track from the top of the incline to the bottom. Between the partition 8 and the side 5 the slide 4 is provided with the channel 13, in which is revolubly mounted at the vbottom, the pulleyl l on the pin 15 which is secured to the partition 8 and the side 5, and at the top of the channel 13 the pulley 1G is mounted on the crank 17 which is journaled in the partition 8 and the side 5, the crank projecting outwardly from the side 5. The pulleys 14 and 16 carry the endbelt 18 which is provided at frequent intervals with the carriers 19, which are suitably secured thereto.

At the lower end of the track 7 the partition 8- has the opening 20 which registers with the track andallows the balls 21 to roll on the belt. The lower end of the track adjacent to the opening 20 is also provided with thegate 22, which is pivotally mounted on the partition 8 and adapted to simultaneously open the lower end of the track 7 so that the ball will-fall on the base 1, and close the opening 20 in the partition 8 so that the balls are prevented from rolling on the belt 18. At the top of the incline above the pulley 16, the side 5 of the channel 13 is provided with the spring 23 which projects over the belt 18 and serves to throw the balls off of the belt 18 and on the first section of the track 7.

The pockets 2 in the base 1, may be numbered in any suitable manner, and the numbers placed on the base adjacent to the pockets. The game may be played by any number of persons, but each player must have an equal number of balls, and play in regular succession. After each play the number of the pocket into which a ball has rolled is recorded, and after a given number of balls have been played by each player, the numbers in each of the plays are added together and the player having the largest total wins the game. Any number of balls maybe used, and if desirable a given number of points may be played for, the player obtaining the required number first being the Winner.

In operation, I may or may not use the base 1, but when it is used, the gate 22 may be opened, when the balls will be allowed to drop on the base 1 and seek a position of rest either in or about the pockets 2. If the ball rests in one of the pockets the player scores the number of the pocket but if it fails to enter any of the pockets, the player fails to score.

When it is desired not to use the base, the gate 22 is swung on its pivot so as to close the opening in the track and open the passage to the belt, and the balls being dropped on the track at the top of the incline will roll down the successive sections of the track until the opening 20 is reached when they will be deposited upon the belt, and by means of the carriers 19, when the crank is turned, willbe conveyed to the top of the incline and again thrown out upon the track by the spring 23.

I may use either the belt or the track I without the other, without any way departing from the spirit of my invention, and the shape of the tracks may obviously be changed in any desirable manner to suit varying conditions.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. In a game apparatus the combination of a base having, a plurality of pockets; a frame on said base, an inclined sectional track secured to said frame having openings in the lower ends of the sections thereof for making said track continuous, a plurality of balls adapted to roll on said track, 'a conveyer'means for returning said balls from the bottom to the top of said track, and a spring secured to the side of said frame at the top of said track for throwing said balls fromthe belt to the track.

2. In a game apparatus the combination of a base having a plurality of pockets, a frame on said base, an inclined sectional track secured to said frame having openings in the lower ends of the sections thereof for making said track continuous, a plurality of balls adapted to roll on said track, a conveyer means for returning said balls from the bottom to the top of said track, a spring secured tothe side of'said frame at the top of said track for throwing said balls from the'belt to the track, and a gate pivotally secured at the bottom of said track for simultaneously opening the passage to the pockets or closing the passage to the conveyer means or vice versa.

3. In a game apparatus, the combination with a base having a plurality of pockets in its top side and an inclined frame secured thereto having a plurality of laterally and oppositely inclined sections of track having openings at their lower ends for affording communication between adjacent sections, of

,a plurality of balls or marbles adapted to roll down said track when placed at the top of the incline and lodge in or about the pockets in said base, conveyer means on one side of said frame adapted to convey said balls or marbles from the bottom to the top of said frame, and means secured to the lower section of said track whereby the balls or marbles may be caused to either drop from the track upon the base or upon said conveyer means, at the will of the player, as described.

4. In a game apparatus, the combination with a base having a plurality of pockets in its top, side and an inclined frame secured thereto having a plurality of laterally and oppositely inclined sections of track having openings at their lower ends for aflording communication between adjacent sections, of a plurality of balls or marbles adapted to roll down said track when placed atthe top of the incline and lodge in or about the pockets in said base,;conveyer means on one side of said frame adapted to'convey said balls or marbles from the bottom to the top of said frame, means secured to the lower the conveyer and on to said track when the top of the incline has been reached, as described.

FRANCIS M. CALEB. Witnesses:

J. -D. HAsKIN, EDNA BELL H WELL. 

